Chief helps tech school equip new collision repair training centers

Recognizing that the need for education doesn’t end at graduation, East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) did more than help establish a new state-of-the-art collision repair training center on its Mesa, Ariz., campus last year. It created two.Like this article? Sign up to receive our weekly news blasts here.

With the help of industry partners including Chief Automotive Technologies and its area distributor, Kachina Automotive Equipment, the school set up two top-of-the-line training centers next to each other. One center is dedicated to EVIT’s high school collision repair students. The other is used by industry professionals and manufacturers who invested their resources totrain collision repair technicians in Arizona and nationally.

Both facilities include classroom space and a fully equipped shop area for hands-on demonstrations and practice. The equipment includes a Chief Goliath frame rack, EZ Liner Express collision repair system, computerized measuring system and accessories.

“As car manufacturers continue to develop increasingly sophisticated ways to protect the passenger compartment, the techniques we use to repair vehicles is constantly evolving in response,” explains Mike Cranfill, Chief vice president. “In order to properly return today’s collision- damaged vehicles to OEM specs, it is crucial that technicians stay current on the latest developments in collision theory and repair. This top-notch new facility atEVIT is fully equipped to enable our Chief University instructors to teach technicians from across the region structural damage analysis, computerizedmeasuring, collision theory and design based repair techniques.”

Chief held the inaugural industry training event at EVIT in January, leading a full house of professional technicians through its Chief University Design Based Repair and Advanced Frame Analysis courses Jan. 22-25.

"EVIT is built on a foundation of public and private cooperation to offer the best career and technical education to our students and to better serve the needs of business and industry," said EVIT Superintendent Dr. Sally Downey. "We could not provide the quality programs that we offer without the expertise and generosity of the businesses and organizations that partner with us. When public and private sources work together, it's a win-win for everyone."

Chief University classes are held in training centers throughout the United States and Canada. They combine classroom training with hands-on demonstrations and practice. All courses are led by professional Chief- certified instructors, and most are approved for I-CAR points through the I-CAR Industry Training Alliance program. Chief training also has been certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) for compliance with the Continuing Automotive Service Education (CASE) Standards.

For the current schedule, course descriptions and to register, visit www.chiefautomotive.com.

The East Valley Institute of Technology is Arizona’s first joint technological education district. It provides occupation-specific programs for high school students at 10 school districts across the East Valley. The programs are tuition-free for high school students; classes also are open to adult students at competitive tuition rates. EVIT, which has been honored as an A+ school in Arizona, is located in Mesa. For more information, visit www.evit.com or call (480) 461-4000.

For more information about the full line of Chief and Elektron collision repair products, contact your local Chief distributor, call (877) 644-1044 or visit www.chiefautomotive.com.

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